Falling For The First Time
by ellsbells10
Summary: Ryan and Cate are friends and co-hosts, nothing more. Alice is single. On a night out, Cate and Baze cross paths and history repeats itself. Cate and Baze just can't stay away from each other. They start dating and fall in love
1. Not Again

"To nights we won't remember and friends we'll never forget," Cate Cassidy said, holding up her glass.

"Nights you won't remember, Drunk," Ryan teased.

"OK. OK. Save it for when you're on air," Alice said, knowing once the two co-hosts started bantering she would never hear the end of it.

"If Cate's not too hungover tomorrow morning," Ryan said lightly, grinning.

"You're just embarrassed 'cause I can drink you under the table," Cate shot back.

Alice rolled her eyes and gestured impatiently to her drink.

Cate, Ryan and Alice clinked glasses and drank deeply.

"Who wants to do shots?" Cate asked when they were all about done with their first drinks.

Ryan and Alice exchanged a glance. Cate lived up to her reputation as a zany, slutty single and once alcohol entered the equation she had a tendency to get out of control.

Cate ordered three tequila shots.

Alice raised her eyebrows. "Do you remember what happened last time you drank tequila?"

Cate stared at Alice blankly.

"Allow me," Ryan said, smirking. "The corporate retreat. The ice sculpture."

Cate blushed. "It was one ice sculpture! And it really shouldn't have been there."

"I don't think the hotel knew you'd be too drunk to walk straight," Ryan teased.

"Oh! Says the guy who threw up in the hotel lobby! At least I can hold my liquor," Cate retorted.

"And that's why we're never going back to that hotel," Alice said dryly.

Jaime had been checking Alice out. He waited until she downed her shot and then approached. "Hey." He grinned cockily. "What are you drinking?"

Alice scanned Jaime's lean frame and smiled approvingly. "Vodka and tonic."

Jaime mixed the drink and handed it to her.

Alice nodded. "Thanks." She drank deeply.

Jaime continued to flirt with her. Alice smiled, enjoying the attention.

Ryan leaned toward Cate. "See your next victim?"

"OK. If I were a guy, you'd ask if I saw my next conquest or one-night-stand, but because I'm a girl my dates are victims?" Cate demanded, feigning insult.

"When you get through with them they are," Ryan muttered.

Cate rolled her eyes. "What about you? See anyone you like?"

Ryan glanced around before shaking his head. "No. The crowd's dying down. It's almost closing time."

"Looks like you'll be spending another night alone," Cate teased.

Alice grabbed Cate's arm. "Come on. That bartender I've been talking to lives above the bar. He invited us to play beer pong. His friend is totally your type."

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna call it a night," Ryan said, not wanting to be the fifth wheel.

"Weak sauce," Cate said as she hugged Ryan goodbye.

Cate allowed Alice to drag her upstairs. She stared in shock when she saw Nate Bazile filling cups with beer and arranging them on the beer pong table.

Alice was right. Jaime's friend was definitely Cate's type. Unfortunately Cate knew she wasn't Baze's type.

"Come on. What's wrong with you?" Alice asked when Cate stopped dead in her tracks.

Alice turned around when Cate wouldn't budge. The color had drained from Cate's face.

"You know what, I changed my mind. I'm tired. I'm gonna go home now, too," Cate managed, trying to free herself from Alice's grip.

Alice tightened her grip on Cate's arm. "I already told them we'd play."

"There's my partner," Jaime said, putting his hand on Alice's lower back and leading her toward the beer pong table.

Cate could not believe this was happening. She never wanted to see Baze again. And her boss was forcing her to play beer pong with him.

Jaime nodded toward Baze. "This is Baze."

Alice looked at Cate expectantly. When Cate didn't introduce herself, Alice said, "This is Cate."

Baze looked up. His grin disappeared when he saw Cate Cassidy.

Jaime gave Baze a weird look. Normally Baze was a smooth-talker. Now his roommate just stood there staring at Cate open-mouthed.

"You haven't changed a bit. Except your hairline," Cate said.

Baze made a face and ran a hand through his wavy brown hair self-consciously.

"You two know each other?" Jaime asked, frowning.

"Yeah. Cate and I, we went to high school together," Baze mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

Alice studied Baze interestedly. "What was Cate like in high school?"

Cate shot Baze a warning look. "Let's not talk about high school."

Alice ignored Cate. "Was she as crazy back then as she is now?" She asked with a laugh.

Cate stiffened. She glared at Alice. "Everyone knows I hated high school. Can we-"

"Who hates high school?" Alice said lightly, smirking slightly. "What? Were you one of those girls who got knocked up on prom night or something?"

Baze choked on his beer. He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Cate's expression hardened. Her cheeks burned.

"Oh my gosh! You got knocked up on prom night?" Alice said, glancing back and forth between Cate and Baze.

Alice had never imagined that Cate actually was pregnant in high school. She'd been teasing. She knew from Cate's expression that Cate didn't think it was funny. At all. Alice cringed.

"More like winter formal," Baze mumbled.

Cate glared at Baze. She should've known he wouldn't keep his mouth shut. He may have kept quiet in high school, but he always seemed to do the opposite of what she wanted. It was like he went out of his way to make her life miserable.

Alice and Jaime exchanged a glance.

"We're just gonna go…" Alice said, wanting to give Cate and Baze privacy.

Jaime nodded and followed Alice back down to the bar.

Cate turned to Baze. "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry," Baze said dully.

"Oh, you're sorry? You humiliated me in front of my boss!" Cate said angrily.

"I didn't mean to," Baze said truthfully.

"_You didn't mean to_?" Cate repeated, her tone deadly "Just like you didn't mean to impregnate me in the back of your mom's minivan! You never mean to do anything!"

"It takes two, Cate. I don't think you meant to get pregnant at sixteen either. Sometimes things just happen," Baze muttered.

"Only when you're around," Cate said, her tone accusatory.

"How did we end up in the back of my mom's minivan anyway?" Baze asked, wondering why she'd slept with him in the first place if she hated him so much.

"You lured me in," Cate said. "With Zima…and the Spin Doctors."

Baze grinned. "I thought it was my mad skills and my rockin' tape deck."

"Your mad skills?" Cate raised her eyebrows. "You didn't make it through Two Princes."

"I'm sorry," Baze said softly.

Cate tried to laugh it off. "Please, that song was, like, five minutes long."

"Not for that. I mean, I should be." Baze said lightly. His expression sobered when he met Cate's gaze. "Back then I was in over my head. Afraid I was gonna mess up my life."

Cate looked down.

"We can't all be as smart, successful and beautiful as you, you know," Baze said. "Some of us peak in high school."

Cate looked up in surprise. Baze's ocean blue eyes bored into her chocolate eyes. She'd always really liked his eyes. He held her gaze. He looked like he was being sincere.

Cate smiled at the compliment. She wasn't in high school anymore, but she still desperately wanted the popular quarterback to like her.

Cate instinctively leaned in and before she knew it Baze's lips were on hers. He kissed her hard.

They ended up in Baze's bedroom, hastily stripping. Their discarded clothes formed a pile on the already messy floor of Baze's bedroom.

Cate had never gotten over her crush on the popular jock. If anything, his rejection had only made her want him more. Knowing that he wanted her, too, made her feel more beautiful than ever.

Baze pulled Cate down on top of him. Cate wanted him to be inside her. She needed him to be inside her.

He teased her with his tongue until she could hardly stand it. When Cate didn't think she could take it anymore, she felt him inside her. He made her toes curl.

Baze watched Cate sleep, her head nestled against his chest. She felt good there. Like she belonged there.

He didn't know what it was about her, but there was something about her that made him want her.

She'd been such a dork in high school. She'd worn this ridiculous headgear for the first two years. Even when it was gone, she hadn't exactly been Baze's type.

Baze didn't know what had possessed him to invite Cate into his mom's minivan on the night of winter formal. He'd told himself he just wanted to get some, but he knew there was more to it than that. He was inexplicably drawn to Cate. He always had been.


	2. High Standards

Cate woke up without an alarm. She was so used to getting up at the crack of dawn that it was hard for her to sleep in even when she didn't have to work. She and Ryan had to be at the station at five am every weekday.

It took Cate a minute to realize where she was. Her eyes widened as she glanced around Baze's messy bedroom. She could not believe she'd slept with Baze. Again.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh! Tell me this didn't happen!" Cate cried out, sitting bolt upright in Baze's bed.

Cate groaned. What was wrong with her? Who sleeps with the guy who impregnated them in high school and then denied sleeping with them in the first place again? She knew she was asking for trouble.

Baze's eyes fluttered open when Cate moved. He watched her expression change from one of shock to one of horror. Usually women who woke up next to him had a different reaction. He felt slightly insulted. "Oh, it happened. Twice." Baze said, holding up two fingers for emphasis.

Cate found her dress and hastily slipped it over her head. She glared at Baze.

What was her problem? It had been completely mutual. Cate had wanted him just as badly as he'd wanted her. Baze frowned. "Wait, you're on the pill, right?"

Cate shot Baze a dirty look. He'd actually been nice last night. For a nanosecond. Today he was back to being a colossal jerk.

Cate should have known better. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me, Cate thought ruefully.

She was smart. She'd been valedictorian in high school. So why did she keep jumping into bed with Baze every chance she got? Sleeping with Baze was the opposite of smart, Cate told herself.

Cate just wanted to get the hell out of Baze's room as fast as humanly possible and never look back. Every time she ran into him things went horribly wrong.

Cate tried the first door she saw, but it wouldn't budge. She heard Baze laughing at her from his bed. Her cheeks burned.

He'd laughed at her after the last time they slept together, too. Cate had heard him making fun of her with his friends. He'd been so cruel. Cate remembered his words as if it was yesterday. And they still hurt.

Ugh! Why did his words still hurt her? She wasn't in high school anymore. She was successful. Some would even call her a star. Fans asked for her autograph. She didn't need Baze's approval. Not anymore.

If that was true, why did spending one night with him make her feel like she was back in high school? Why were his words from fifteen years ago echoing in her head? Why did she still want him to want her?

Tears stung Cate's eyes. She avoided Baze's gaze and hurried to the only other door. She threw it open and hurried downstairs. Her pace quickened. She had to get out of there.

Cate didn't know how long she could fight back the tears she knew were coming and she did _not_ want Baze to see her crying. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She wouldn't let him know he'd hurt her.

Baze caught a glimpse of Cate's face as she darted toward the door. She no longer looked angry. Now she looked upset.

Crap. He hadn't meant to make her cry. He probably shouldn't have asked about the pill. That had to bring back bad memories.

Baze debated for a split second before jumping out of bed and going after Cate. He caught up with her in front of his bar. "Cate?"

Cate ignored him and continued walking in the other direction.

"Cate!" Baze stopped her, holding her still. His grip was gentle but firm.

Cate met his gaze reluctantly.

"Look, I'm sorry," Baze said, his ocean blue eyes boring into Cate's chocolate eyes.

"Yeah, that's what you said last night," Cate shot back.

"I'm sorry about what happened in high school. I'm not sorry about what happened last night, but this morning could have gone better," Baze said. He didn't think before he spoke. He realized the words were true. He wasn't sorry he'd slept with Cate again. Not even a little bit.

Cate stared at Baze in surprise. She recovered quickly and her expression was impassive. "You may not be sorry about what happened last night, but I am."

"What's the big deal? You got a boyfriend?" Baze asked.

"No, I don't got a boyfriend," Cate replied with a tinge of annoyance. "But I do have standards."

"Yeah, so do I," Baze retorted.

"Please, you'll hook up with anyone as long as they have…what did you say? A bag over their head and tape over their mouth," Cate cried out. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she regretted it.

Baze stared at her blankly. "I'm down with handcuffs, but tape is a little too out there for me."

Cate glared at him, tears glittering in her chocolate eyes. "I heard you. What you said to your stupid friends after we slept together."

"What?" Baze asked, confusion wrinkling his forehead.

Cate forced herself to meet his gaze and struggled to keep her voice even despite being on the brink of tears. "Someone asked if we hooked up and you said the only way you would ever hook up with me was if I had a bag over my head and tape over my mouth so you wouldn't have to listen to me or hear me."

Baze looked as though he'd been punched in the stomach. He didn't even remember saying that, but he could tell Cate remembered what he'd said word for word. Watching the pain in her eyes and expression as she recalled his words made Baze feel like the biggest jerk in the world.

Baze didn't know what to say. He wanted to make Cate feel better, but a mere apology felt completely inadequate. "Cate, I'm sorry. You know that's not true, right? I mean, look at you. I shouldn't have said it. I didn't mean it." Baze held her gaze, his eyes silently pleading for forgiveness.

"Yes, you did," Cate said knowingly. Baze had shown his true colors that day. He'd made it very clear that Cate was nothing to him. She swallowed a lump in the back of her throat. "Do you know that after we slept together I actually thought we were gonna date? I called my friend Missy and I told her that, you know, I thought I might actually have a boyfriend. And then I heard what you said. You didn't even see me standing there. It was like I didn't even exist. And I just felt totally and completely alone, like the biggest idiot. Kind of like now."

"You're not an idiot, Cate. You were the smartest girl at Westmonte. Look at how successful you are." Baze shook his head. "I'm the idiot."

"No argument here," Cate said lightly. She looked down as the tears she'd been fighting streamed down her face.

Baze smiled slightly. He wiped tears from Cate's cheek with his thumb. His touch felt unexpectedly gentle.

Cate jerked away, suddenly overcome with embarrassment. She hadn't wanted Baze to know how much he'd hurt her back then. She definitely hadn't wanted to cry in front of him. But, more than anything else, she didn't want to want him. "I'm already late. I have to go to work."

Cate parked in the parking lot in front of the station. She dug through her purse until she found a mirror. She looked at her reflection and grimaced. It was not pretty. At all.

Her make-up from the night before was smudged from sleep. Her mascara was running and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

Cate did the best she could to touch up her make-up with what she had in her purse. She ran a brush through her hair. She sighed. This was as good as it was going to get.

Ryan smirked when Cate slipped into the booth beside him. "A little overdressed for work, don't you think?" He said, immediately noticing that Cate was wearing the same thing she'd been wearing the night before.

Cate blushed slightly, avoiding his gaze. She picked up her microphone and spoke into it. "Good morning Portland!"

"You're listening to Morning Madness with Cate and Ryan," Ryan said.

"This morning we're talking about one-night-stands," Cate said.

"We all know how Cate feels about one-night-stands." Ryan grinned.

"And that Ryan would like to have more of them," Cate shot back.

"But we want to hear from you guys. Do you or don't you?" Ryan said with a laugh.

Cate glanced down at her cell phone. The display read _Baze calling_. Cate frowned as she ended the call.

Cate didn't want to talk to Baze again. Ever. Especially not after that morning. Her cheeks burned as she remembered the scene in front of Baze's bar.

"We have Nikki on the line," Ryan said. "Nikki, do you have one-night-stands?"

"No, I always wait until the third date," Nikki replied.

Ryan switched to commercial. "Who is calling you?" He asked. "Your phone's been going crazy. Aren't most of your friends sleeping it off?"

"It's no one," Cate mumbled, ending Baze's third call. She turned her cell phone off.

"OK. We're back," Ryan spoke into his microphone. "And we've got Baze on the line."

Cate's eyes widened in horror. She shook her head furiously, shooting Alice a deadly look.

"Cate?" Baze said.

"I'm at work," Cate muttered through gritted teeth.

"I need to talk to you," Baze said.

"What? What is so important that it can't wait until I'm off the air?" Cate demanded.

"Do you have plans tonight?" Baze asked.

"Yeah, I have a hot date," Cate said sarcastically.

"Tell him you're going out with me instead," Baze said smoothly.

Cate made a face. "What? No, I'm not-"

"I'll pick you up at eight," Baze interrupted before hanging up.


	3. Losing Control

Cate called Baze for the third time. It went straight to voicemail. Again.

The jerk must have turned his phone off so she couldn't call and tell him she was not going out with him under any circumstances. Which was exactly what she was trying to do.

She'd never met anyone more infuriating in her life. Who calls someone when they're working and asks-no, make that tells-them they're going out and then hangs up? That's not how you ask people out!

She had no intention of going out with Baze. Even though part of her wanted to go out with him. That was what scared her the most.

She'd always liked him. She clearly couldn't control herself around him. Every time he'd acted the least bit interested in her, they'd ended up in bed. The problem was she didn't trust Baze any further than she could throw him.

The doorbell rang at 7:52 pm. Cate was strongly considering not answering it.

Baze started knocking on the door. At 7:56, Cate realized he wasn't going to leave until she talked to him. She threw the door open and glared at Baze.

Baze always looked good. He looked especially good in a black leather jacket and dark jeans that clung to his lean body in all the right places. He flashed Cate a sexy smile. "Hey. You ready?"

"No, I'm not-"

"I'm early," Baze cut Cate off before she could tell him she wasn't going out with him. "I'll wait." Cate watched as he entered the foyer uninvited and made himself comfortable on Cate's couch.

Cate stalked after him. "I'm not going out with you!"

Baze looked undeterred. "OK…we'll stay in." He made his way into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door.

Cate followed in disbelief. "No, _we_ won't do anything! You're unbelievable! I never said I'd go out with you. You just assumed I would jump at the chance to spend an evening with you because you think you're God's gift to women."

Baze smirked. He'd expected Cate to be difficult. He knew she hadn't forgiven him. Not for how he'd treated her in high school. And not for that morning. "You know, you're the only thirty-two year old I know whose refrigerator only has beer."

Cate took a deep breath, trying not to lose her rapidly fraying temper. "Yeah, well, you're the only thirty-two year old I know who still acts like he's in college," she shot back.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," Baze said, holding up the handle of vodka he'd found in Cate's freezer for emphasis.

"Get. Out," Cate said, her tone deadly.

Baze shook his head. "Nah. See, the only way I'm leaving is if you go with me."

"Fine," Cate muttered. She grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter and sauntered to the front door. "Let's just get this over with."

Baze smirked. "You can't wait to bring me back here and have your way with me."

Cate shot him a dirty look. "If you think you're coming back here, you're in for a rude awakening."

Baze helped Cate into his blue Jeep before getting in. He'd asked Alice what Cate's favorite restaurant was when he'd called in that morning. He drove to the Italian restaurant Alice had recommended.

"Oh, I love this place," Cate commented, her icy expression thawing for the first time since Baze had shown up for their "date."

Baze grinned cockily. "I know."

Cate narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "How did you know my favorite restaurant?"

"A little birdie told me," Baze said.

"Alice," Cate muttered. "She's dead."

"Geez, Cate, I was trying to do something nice and you're acting like it's a conspiracy against you," Baze said.

Cate's expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry."

Baze draped an arm over Cate's shoulders. He sauntered into the restaurant like he owned the place. "Hey Man. Two for dinner," he told the host.

"Do you have a reservation?" The host asked.

Baze grinned sheepishly. "No. Look, this is our first date. If there's any way you can hook us up, I'd really appreciate it."

Cate watched as Baze and the host began joking around like they were best friends. It never ceased to amaze her that everyone liked him. Even her.

There was just something about him that made every guy want to be friends with him and every girl want to be with him. He'd been Mr. Popularity in high school and it looked like nothing had changed.

"You can't just call in when I'm on the air and ask me out and then hang up before I can even answer. That's not how it works," Cate said.

"I called your cell, but you didn't answer," Baze said defensively.

"Yeah, because I was working! You should try it sometime," Cate said.

"I work," Baze retorted, trying not to smile. The truth was he didn't work very hard.

"You're a bartender," Cate pointed out, her voice dripping with disdain. "You play beer pong at your job!"

"I'm not a bartender. I own a bar," Baze corrected. "And you're just jealous because my job is cooler than yours."

Cate broke into a grin. As much as she hated to admit it, Baze was funny and she enjoyed him when he wasn't making her feel like nothing.

Baze stared at Cate open-mouthed feigning shock. "Is that a smile? Are you actually having fun while on a date with me?"

Cate bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from laughing.

"It's OK to have fun, Cate," Baze teased.

Cate decided he was right. As long as she was out with him, she might as well enjoy herself. They ordered a bottle of red wine to share and Baze studied the menu. "What's good here?"

"Everything," Cate said. She realized that her response might come off as short so she hastily added, "I'm getting the lasagna."

Baze ordered lasagna, too, and they caught up as they ate. Cate was surprised that they'd been sitting there talking for almost two hours when the host brought the check. Atypical of most first dates filled with awkward silences, Baze and Cate had been comfortably talking the whole time.

"Thanks, Baze. I had fun," Cate said truthfully as Baze paid.

Baze grinned.

They drove back to Cate's in companionable silence. Baze put his Jeep in park in front of Cate. He met Cate's gaze, his brilliant blue eyes staring into her chocolate eyes. His luscious lips parted ever so slightly as he looked at Cate.

Cate instinctively leaned in. She felt Baze's tongue in her mouth. He tasted masculine and strong. Her fingers ran through his brown hair. He lifted her top.

Cate closed her eyes. She wanted Baze with every fiber of her being. Every time she looked at him, every time he touched her, Cate was overcome with a desire. She'd been with her fair share of guys, as Ryan constantly reminded her, but she'd never wanted any of them the way she wanted Baze. It consumed her. It scared her.

She knew she should call it a night. That would be the smart thing to do. The safe thing to do. She needed to protect herself or Baze would hurt her again. But Cate had never been able to do the smart thing when she was with Baze. He did something to her. She didn't act like herself when she was with him. She didn't have any control over herself.

Without thinking Cate said, "Do you want to come in?" No sooner had the words left her mouth than she regretted them, but the damage had already been done.

They left a trail of clothing as they made their way to Cate's bedroom.


	4. You Like?

Out of habit, Cate woke up ten minutes before her alarm went off. She shrugged out of Baze's arms, careful not to wake him up, and switched her alarm off so it wouldn't wake him. With any luck, she could get out of there without having to talk to Baze.

How had this happened? Again, Cate thought desperately. She was kicking herself mentally. She hadn't even wanted to go out with Baze. Much less bring him home.

If Cate weren't so mad at the jerk, she'd admit he'd been sweet the night before. She was surprised and touched that he'd gone out of his way to figure out what her favorite restaurant was.

Baze felt Cate's gaze on him and stirred. He opened his eyes and rolled onto his side so he was facing her. "You're not gonna freak out again, are you?"

Cate glared at Baze. "No, I'm not gonna freak out again!"

Baze breathed a sigh of relief.

"And I had a good reason to freak out!" Cate said defensively. "Anyone would freak out if they woke up next to the guy who impregnated them in the back of a minivan in high school."

Baze realized the sense of relief he'd felt had been premature and groaned inwardly. He should have known it would take longer for Cate to get over what he'd done. He couldn't blame her. Truth be told, he'd been a real jerk in high school.

"I told you I was sorry!" Baze cried out in frustration.

Cate didn't have to say anything. The look she gave Baze was enough. He knew she hadn't forgiven him. Not by a long shot.

Baze took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I'm sorry, Cate. What do I have to do to show you I've changed?" He made an effort to keep his tone even.

Cate crossed her arms in front of her chest defiantly. "I don't know."

Baze swallowed a lump in the back of his throat. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever be able to forgive him and give him a second chance. He didn't know why he cared so much. There were a lot of girls who'd be thrilled to go out with him. Why did it matter so much to him that this one girl gave him a second chance?

"When you figure it out, let me know," Baze said softly. "Because I will do whatever you want me to." Baze knew the words were true even if he didn't fully understand why he felt this way.

Cate nodded. She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know if she could forgive him.

The guy had screwed her. Literally and figuratively. He'd screwed her up, she knew. She now lived in constant fear of rejection because of how he'd treated her after they slept together in high school. She was afraid to want anything or anyone. Especially Baze.

"I have to get ready for work," Cate said, looking at the ground.

Baze nodded. "OK."

Cate emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later freshly showered. She hated to admit she felt the slightest tinge of disappointment when she saw her empty bed. Baze must have left.

"Coffee?"

Cate jumped slightly when she heard Baze's voice. When she turned to face him, he was grinning and holding a cup of coffee out to her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Baze said quickly.

"It's not your fault," Cate replied, accepting the steaming mug. "Thanks."

Cate's damp hair smelled really good, Baze noticed. Her cheeks were flushed from the hot water. She looked good. Even without make-up. Baze scanned her body with his eyes. The thin robe she wore clung to her curves in all the right places.

Baze nodded. "I was, uh, gonna make breakfast, but you don't have any food."

Cate smiled slightly. "Yeah, I don't cook," she admitted sheepishly.

Baze raised his eyebrows. "Like, at all?"

Cate shook her head. "Trust me, you wouldn't want to eat anything I cooked anyway. My mom, she, uh, didn't teach me how to cook."

Baze smiled good-naturedly. "I'll tell you what. I'll run to the coffee shop while you get ready."

"You don't have to do that," Cate said quickly.

Baze shrugged. "I want to."

Cate smiled slightly.

She was almost done getting ready when Baze knocked lightly on the bedroom door. "Come in," Cate called.

Baze pushed the door open. He stared at Cate. She was wearing a white lacy top and a black pencil skirt. She managed to look professional, sweet, and sexy all at the same time.

"Can you, uh-"

Baze noticed Cate struggling to fasten a pearl necklace around her neck. "Oh yeah." He was at her side in two quick strides.

Her scent drifted up to him as he fumbled with the clasp. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than how good she smelled. And looked. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

Baze's fingers brushed against the sensitive skin on the back of Cate's neck as he fastened her necklace. She felt his warm breath on her neck.

This was ridiculous. Cate was having a hard time being in the same room as Baze without ripping his clothes off.

"Thanks," Cate said abruptly, putting some distance in between her and Baze.

"Yeah, sure," Baze replied. He cleared his throat. "There are, uh, bagels in the kitchen."

* * *

Alice was waiting when Cate got to the station. "How was your date?" She asked.

Cate rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a date. He didn't even ask me! He basically forced me to go to dinner with him."

Alice smirked. "Oh, he asked you. On air. And all of our listeners are gonna wanna know how your date went, so you're gonna have to talk about it. You might as well just tell me."

"He took me to my favorite restaurant, which you already know." Cate gave Alice a hard look.

"What a jerk!" Alice said sarcastically.

Cate tried not to smile.

"What did you guys do after dinner?" Alice prodded.

Cate blushed slightly.

Alice grinned. "You slept with him again!"

"The first time doesn't count. I was drunk," Cate said defensively.

"The first time or the first time _this_ year?" Alice retorted.

"Technically both of the first times," Cate admitted, her cheeks burning.

"And last night?" Alice asked.

"I wasn't drunk," Cate said quietly.

Alice's eyes lit up. "You like him!"

"No, I don't," Cate said firmly. "I can't like him! He knocked me up in high school and then he denied it. How can I like someone who ruined my life?"

"You never have sober sex," Alice accused. "You have drunk sex. _A lot_ of drunk sex."

"OK!" Cate said. She sighed. "I don't know. Baze, he just does something to me. It's like I can't think straight when I'm with him."

"You like him," Alice said again, grinning.

"Who do you like?" Ryan asked. He'd just arrived and caught the tail end of their conversation.

Cate blushed furiously. "No one!"

"Wait a minute, the guy who asked you out on air?" Ryan asked knowingly.

"Yes!" Cate snapped.

Ryan smirked. "I never thought I'd see the day that Cate Cassidy liked a guy."

"Ryan," Cate said through gritted teeth, warning in her voice.

"What? I'm just saying, your style is usually more hit it and quit it," Ryan said with a laugh.

"Not with this guy," Alice chimed in. "This is the third time they've hooked up."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Three dates? With the same guy? That's gotta be a record for you."


	5. Brutal Honesty

Cate glanced down at her phone and frowned. "What?" She said when she answered.

"You know, it's customary to say hello and at least pretend to be happy to hear from someone," Baze said.

"Hello," Cate said dryly.

Baze laughed silently. "I'm having some people over tonight. I want you to come."

"I wish I could, but I can't," Cate replied.

"Why?" Baze asked.

Cate racked her brain for a believable excuse, but couldn't come up with one off the top of her head. "Because I don't want to," she admitted. Actually she did want to, but she didn't want to want Baze.

"Brutal honesty," Baze said, feigning hurt.

Cate smiled slightly.

"If I remember correctly, 234 people think you should go out with me again," Baze said lightly.

"You were listening to the show?" Cate asked, surprised. Of course Ryan had insisted on talking about Baze on the air. An inordinate number of listeners had called in to tell Cate she should go out with him again. Of course none of them knew the whole story. Cate hadn't told the greater Portland area that the reason she didn't want to have feelings for Baze was because he'd knocked her up in high school "It was actually 233."

"You're talking to number 234," Baze replied.

Cate tried not to smile, but failed. Baze always managed to make her smile despite her efforts not to let him charm her. "OK," she gave in reluctantly.

"Yes," Baze whispered quietly enough that Cate couldn't hear. "See you later."

* * *

"What am I doing here?" Cate muttered under her breath. She stood at the bottom of the stairs that led up to Baze's loft. She really needed to break things off with Baze before they went any further. She already liked him more than she'd liked, well, any of the other guys she'd dated and they'd only been out on one date. She was terrified that he'd break her heart.

"Talking to yourself?"

Cate spun around when she heard Baze's voice. He stood behind her, smirking. Her cheeks burned. "No."

Baze raised his eyebrows. "No?"

Cate glared at him. "Yeah," she admitted reluctantly.

Baze put his hand on Cate's lower back and guided her up the stairs. The gesture felt surprisingly intimate.

"Hey," Jaime said, nodding at Cate.

Cate smiled politely. "Hi." She narrowed her eyes when she spotted Alice sitting in his lap. "Alice? What are you doing here?"

"The same thing as you," Alice replied.

"Cate! Hi!"

Cate turned toward the voice. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. She didn't recognize this guy at all.

"I'm Math. We, uh, went to high school together," Math said, blushing slightly under Cate's gaze.

Cate nodded and smiled. "Yeah." She frowned when Math hugged her. She didn't even remember this kid.

"Don't feel bad if you don't recognize him. He was 300 pounds in high school," Baze said lightly. He felt bad after the words left this mouth. He didn't know what had possessed him to make fun of his friend. He just felt weird when he saw Math hugging Cate. Baze frowned. Was he jealous?

Math shot Baze a dirty look. "Dude."

Jaime laughed. "It's true." He held up a deck of cards. "Poker or asshole?"

"Asshole. Definitely," Cate replied.

Baze looked impressed.

"What? I like drinking games," Cate said, enjoying his reaction.

They all got pretty buzzed playing the card game, so no one objected when Jaime suggested they play strip poker next.

Baze took his shirt off, showing off his six-pack. Cate knew first-hand how hard his muscles were.

Baze caught her looking and grinned cockily. "Enjoy the view?"

Cate blushed slightly and shrugged. "It's OK."

"That's not what you said last night," Baze retorted.

Cate's cheeks burned.

Alice smiled as she watched Cate and Baze banter playfully. Anyone could see that they had crazy chemistry.

Alice lost the next hand and took her shirt off, revealing a black silk bra.

Jaime whistled appreciatively.

Math took his shirt off when he lost.

"Dude!" Jaime made a face. "Put it back on."

Baze laughed.

Cate was the last person to lose an item of clothing. She also removed her top. Baze admired the lacy red bra covering her golden skin. He noticed Math staring. This time Baze knew without a doubt that he was jealous. He didn't want Math looking at Cate like that. "Dude," Baze muttered.

By the time Cate and Baze went to his bedroom, most of their clothes were scattered around the living room.

* * *

John entered Baze's bar. The bar was trashed. It didn't look like his son had cleaned it since John had given him the building. Baze probably hadn't, John knew.

John climbed the stairs to Baze's loft. The bar was nothing compared to the apartment. Clothes were discarded throughout the living room. Empty beer bottles and red plastic cups littered every surface. The room reeked of stale beer.

John proceeded to his son's bedroom. He stepped on a playing card and it stuck to his expensive Italian shoe. John scowled and peeled the card off. He threw Baze's bedroom door open.

Baze woke up with Cate in his arms. He sighed contentedly, grinning at the brunette sleeping peacefully. She was undeniably hot. He had fun with her. She made him laugh. Usually unintentionally. He liked her. A lot.

Baze looked up in surprise when his door opened. "Dad! What are you doing here?"

Cate stirred. Her eyes fluttered open. When she saw John standing in the doorway, her eyes widened in horror. She pulled the blanket to her, trying to cover her skin.

"I came by for the rent," John replied.

"About the rent-"

"Let me guess. You don't have it? What else is new?" John interrupted.

"I'll get it to you," Baze muttered.

"I won't hold my breath. You don't have $3,200 today. You're not gonna have it tomorrow," John retorted.

Cate instinctively reached for Baze's hand.

"I said I'll get it to you!" Baze repeated, his voice slightly whiny.

"I don't know what I expect when you take the building I give you and turn it into a bar," John said, his tone disapproving.

"I like it," Baze said softly.

"Apparently not enough to work in it. It looks like you had an orgy in your apartment last night instead of working," John said, his tone accusatory.

Baze made a face. "An orgy? Who has orgies? There was no orgy."

John nodded toward Cate. "Oh really? And who is this?"

Cate's cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Baze glared at his dad. He could sense Cate's discomfort. He felt the overwhelming need to protect her. "It's one thing for you to treat me like something you stepped in, but she didn't do anything. Leave her out of it."

"She's in it. She's part of the reason you can't be bothered to run your business. You're too busy sleeping around with-"

"With what, Dad?" Baze demanded. "With a girl who is smart and successful?" He shook his head. "You don't even know her! You just assume the worst about everybody."

"How smart can she be if she's with you?" John snickered. He turned on his heel. "You can mail me the rent."

"Sorry," Baze mumbled when the door shut behind his dad. "That was awkward."

"Just a little," Cate said lightly. She met Baze's gaze. "Thanks."

"For what?" Baze asked softly.

"For what you said." Cate smiled.

"It was true," Baze said simply.

"What you said," Cate agreed. "But not what your dad said."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't know you," Baze said.

"He doesn't know you either. How could he?" Cate's chocolate eyes bored into Baze's ocean blue eyes. "If he did, he'd know that you're smart and determined and…you can do anything you put your mind to."

Baze smiled. As bad as his dad made him feel about himself, Cate managed to make him feel better. He knew her well enough by now to know she wouldn't say anything she didn't mean.

Cate smiled slightly. "I mean, you got me to go out with you again and I did _not _want to."

"Thanks a lot," Baze said sarcastically.


	6. Lucky Winner

Cate was touched that Baze had defended her to his dad. He kept surprising her. Maybe he really had changed since high school.

Baze's dad had been awful. Cate's own mom wasn't exactly mother-of-the-year, but she had _never_ spoken to Cate the way Baze's dad talked to him. It was no wonder Baze had been so afraid of disappointing his parents back in high school.

How could she possibly feel bad for Baze? She'd been the one forced to go through a pregnancy alone. Because of Baze. But Cate couldn't exactly blame Baze for not wanting to tell his dad he'd impregnated someone at sixteen. If his dad got that mad about rent for the bar, who knows what he would have done if he'd known about Cate's pregnancy?

Would Baze have taken responsibility if it hadn't been for his fear of upsetting his parents? Cate would never know. She hoped he would have, but then again he hadn't even admitted to sleeping with her _before_ he knew she was pregnant.

It was hard to believe the sweet, considerate guy she was dating was the same person who had been so cruel in high school. In the back of her mind, Cate worried that Baze was still capable of cruelty. If she let herself fall for him, he would be able to wound her even more deeply than before. In high school, she'd had a schoolgirl crush on the popular quarterback. Cate would never admit it aloud, but she knew she was falling for Baze and it scared her.

Cate's cell phone rang. She glanced at the display before answering. "Hey."

"I know you bring new meaning to the word _slut_, but a threesome with an old guy is a new low even for you," Alice said.

Cate smiled slightly. Alice must have seen Baze's dad when she was leaving Jaime's room. "So far this morning Baze and I have been accused of having an orgy and now a threesome. I don't know if I should be offended or proud that my reputation proceeds me."

"Who was the old guy?" Alice asked curiously.

"Baze's dad," Cate replied.

"Oh." Alice sounded slightly disappointed.

"Don't worry. His visit wasn't drama free. He reamed Baze for not having the rent for his bar and accused us of having an orgy last night," Cate said.

Cate could hear Alice's muffled laughter.

"It's not funny!" Cate said, trying not to smile. "I actually felt bad for Baze. Even though I can't stand him."

"It sure looked like you could stand him last night," Alice retorted. "I can help with the bar. We have Drink A Date next week. We can have it at Open Bar."

"That would be great," Cate said.

"OK. It's on the 4th. Call your boyfriend and tell him," Alice said.

"He's not my boyfriend," Cate protested, but Alice had already hung up. She glared at the phone before dialing Baze.

"Hey." Baze's smooth voice came over the phone.

"Hey. Alice wants to have an event for the radio station at your bar on the 4th," Cate said.

There was silence on the line.

"Hello?" Cate said. "Do you have anything going on at the bar that night?"

"No, but I don't know if we can hold an event at the bar. We've never done that before," Baze said uncertainly.

He didn't know what went into hosting an event. Jaime and Baze usually held down the fort, but Baze had no idea how many people would attend a K100 event. Would he need to hire extra help? The bar didn't have a lot of tables. Would they have enough room for everyone? Baze gnawed his bottom lip nervously.

Cate rolled her eyes. "That's probably why you can't make rent. Have the event. You'll make bank."

Baze's face lit up. He needed money. Badly. His dad could take back the bar if he didn't pay rent. "Well, I do need to start turning a profit."

"Stock up on booze. Alice won't be happy if you run out of anything," Cate said.

"I know what I'm doing," Baze said defensively.

"If you say so," Cate said skeptically. He certainly hadn't sounded confident a few minutes ago.

"Thanks," Baze said softly. It meant more to him than he'd expected that Cate believed in him. She'd been unusually sweet that morning after his dad left and now she was helping him turn things around at the bar. Had he finally proved to her he wasn't the same guy he was sixteen years ago? He'd been trying desperately to show her he'd changed.

* * *

"Hey." Cate smiled slightly as she approached the bar. "You really pulled it off."

Cate looked absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing a slinky black dress. She'd layered several necklaces and applied heavier make-up than usual. She looked every bit the celebrity. Every guy in the room was staring at her as she worked her way through the bar. Wishing she was with them. She wasn't. She was with Baze. Baze grinned at the thought.

Baze began mixing Cate's favorite drink. He shot her a dark look. "You sound surprised."

Cate frowned slightly. She stirred the drink Baze handed her before sipping it and looking around the room.

"What is this event anyway? Drink A Date?" Baze asked, making a face.

"Speed dating for singles," Cate replied.

Baze snickered. "How is that different from any other night at a bar?"

Cate smiled slightly. "Tonight the station is footing the bill."

"So the station is basically facilitating drunken one night stands?" Baze said sarcastically.

"People do get better looking as the night goes on," Cate said, grinning mischievously.

"If you get any better looking, every guy in here is gonna be hard," Baze said softly.

Cate met Baze's eyes.

"Stop looking at her like that."

Baze looked up. "Like what?" He asked Alice innocently.

"Like you want to rip her clothes off," Alice said knowingly.

Baze smirked.

Cate blushed slightly.

"You're supposed to be single," Alice reminded Cate.

"It's not like it's some big secret. He asked me out on air," Cate pointed out, exasperated.

"Yeah, one date," Alice said, unconcerned. "Which is usually the last date if you have anything to say about it. As far as the fans are concerned, you're available. We're having a drawing to win a date with you and Ryan.

Baze frowned. "What?" He asked, clearly less than thrilled at the news.

Alice ignored Baze. "No one will want to win a date with you if they know you're hooking up with the bartender," she told Cate.

Cate sighed.

"Helloooo Portland!" Ryan spoke loudly from the stage. The bar erupted in applause.

Alice ushered Cate towards the stage. "Wait a minute. We need to talk about this," Baze protested. He didn't like the idea of Cate going out with someone else. At all. Actually he hated the idea.

"My co-host, Cate, is around here somewhere. Unless, of course, she already started drinking," Ryan said from the stage. "Hey, you guys remember last year's Drink A Date? We almost had to rename it Drunk As Cate."

Cate hastily joined Ryan on the stage, smiling good-naturedly.

Baze stalked after Cate. He stood to the side of the stage, his arms crossed in front of his chest defiantly.

Ryan smiled at Cate before continuing, "Yeah, this year we're offering a date with Cate. At the end of the night, we'll draw a name out of a top hat and one lucky guy will win a date with Cate. Of course who knows where that could lead. Except maybe couples' therapy."

Baze clenched his jaw and glared at Cate as she smiled at the men who were leering at her.

"And for all you single ladies out there, you guys can also win a date with Ryan." Cate turned to Ryan and smirked. "But I use the term win loosely. Now, come on! Let's get the party started, shall we?"

"And the drinks flowing," Ryan added. "So, OK, here's the deal, People. Everyone get a drink, find a person, if you like them, nurse your drink."

"And if you don't like them, just down it! Come up to the stage, we'll set you up with someone else," Cate said.

"We got a couple of great guys behind the bar. They'll hook you up. In the meantime, let's get dating!" Ryan said.

Baze grabbed Cate's arm and practically dragged her up to his loft.

Cate rolled her eyes, but didn't protest. She knew Alice would be furious if they made a scene in the middle of the event.

Cate jerked free of Baze's grip as soon as they were safely out of sight. "What is wrong with you?" She hissed.

Baze made a face. "I don't know," he said sarcastically. "Maybe that you're going on a date with some random guy!"

Cate smiled slightly at Baze's obvious jealousy. She started to tell Baze the truth-that she'd had no idea Alice was raffling off a date with her, but stopped when she realized Baze had no right to be angry. Sure, they'd been spending almost every night together for a few weeks now, but they hadn't talked about being exclusive. For all Cate knew, Baze was two-timing her. "So?" She said coolly.

Baze threw his hands up in the air in frustration. She drove him absolutely crazy. "So you're with me!" He cried out. He bit his lip. He hadn't meant to say that. It had just slipped out.

Cate tried not to smile as excitement coursed through her. Baze said she was with him. She remembered how much she'd wanted to be with the popular quarterback in high school and couldn't help feel like she'd won the lottery now that he wanted to be with her, too. "What?" She asked, wanting him to say it aloud. Needing him to say it aloud. There was no way she was going to jump to the wrong conclusion like she had in high school. This time Baze would have to tell her he was her boyfriend in no uncertain terms.

Baze swallowed as he slowly met Cate's gaze. "You're with me. I mean, I thought we were…" He broke off, looking at the ground.

Cate reached for Baze's hand. "We are. I didn't even know Alice was raffling off a date with me. It's a stupid promotion. It doesn't mean anything."

Baze looked up. He couldn't bring himself to smile knowing that Cate was going out with another guy. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

He didn't know why he was so insanely jealous. He'd had other girlfriends before and he'd never felt like this. He literally couldn't stand the thought of another guy being with Cate. Would the winner kiss Cate goodnight? Baze clenched his jaw.

He needed to win the stupid raffle, Baze decided. There was no way in hell he was letting anyone else win. Cate was his.

They went back down to the bar. Whenever Cate was busy schmoozing fans, Baze slipped his name into the top hat. He didn't want her to see him entering the contest. He knew he was being immature. He'd play dumb when he won. He'd say Math or Jaime must have entered him as a joke.

Baze had probably put a dozen slips of paper into the hat by the time Alice grabbed both hats and picked up the microphone. "OK everyone it's time to pull two lucky names out of the hats."

Without realizing it, Baze held his breath as he waited for Alice to draw a name. "The winner of the date with Cate is…" Alice glanced at the slip of paper. "Math Rogers."

"What?" Baze said aloud. He covered his mouth with his hand when he realized people were staring at him. He surveyed the bar for his friend.

Math knew Baze was with Cate. What the hell was Math thinking entering the contest in the first place?

Baze found Math grinning in the corner. "I won," Math said brightly.

Baze scowled. "Yeah, a date with my girlfriend."

Math narrowed his eyes at Baze. "Since when is she your girlfriend? You don't have girlfriends. You have one night stands."

"I've had other girlfriends before," Baze scoffed.

"Tracy? You were with her for less than a month!" Math pointed out. He shook his head. "What's the longest you've been with a girl?"

"I don't know! About a month," Baze said, raking a hand through his brown hair.

Math looked triumphant. "Cate deserves better than that."

"What do you know about what she deserves?" Baze retorted.

"She had a perfect 4.0 GPA and graduated as Valedictorian. She-"

Baze made a face. "You know her GPA? Dude."

"I liked her in high school," Math said quietly. "I was going to ask her to Winter Formal, but Frankie Palladino beat me to it."

"It was high school. Get over it," Baze said, a little more harshly than he'd intended. "You're not going out with her."

"We're not on the football field. You're not quarterback. You don't call the shots," Math muttered.

Both guys looked up when Cate joined them. "Hey." Cate smiled politely at Math.

"Hi." Math blushed. "Where do you want to go?"

Cate's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Huh?"

"You know, on our date," Math said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Oh." Cate looked at Baze. He looked furious. She frowned. "Wherever you want to go," she told Math.

Math smiled. "Good night."

Cate smiled weakly. When Math was out of earshot she asked, "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy."

"You thought I'd be happy you're going out with my roommate?" Baze muttered. "What part of that is supposed to make me happy?"

Cate frowned. "At least it's not some random guy. You know Math. He's harmless." She reached for Baze's hand, but he pulled away abruptly.

"He's not harmless. He has a crush on you," Baze retorted.

Cate smiled slightly.

"It's not funny!" Baze fumed. "He knows everything about you! He's practically stalking you and you're going on a date with him!"

Cate laughed. "This is your friend and roommate we're talking about. It's not like he's some creepy stalker."

Baze glared at Cate. "You're not going out with him."

Cate crossed her arm in front of her chest defiantly. "Excuse me?"

"You're not going out with him," Baze repeated firmly with a tinge of annoyance.

"I most certainly am. This is my job we're talking about," Cate said.

"Unless you're a hooker, you're not getting paid to go out with horny men," Baze shot back. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He watched as Cate's expression changed from shock to hurt. He reached for her, but she jerked away. He sighed. "Cate, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Cate swallowed. Her expression was stony when she turned to face Baze. "You haven't changed at all." She turned on her heel and left.

Baze stared at her retreating back. He felt as though she'd just slapped him. It would have been better if she had slapped him. He knew how much she hated him in high school. If she didn't think he'd changed, there was no way she felt for him what he felt for her.


	7. Better With You

**Note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm trying to decide what I want to do with Lux. Right now I'm thinking one of three things.**

**1. Lux won't enter the picture and this will just be about Cate and Baze**

**2. Lux will show up on Baze's doorstep exactly the way she did in the show, but this time Cate will be there, too. It will unfold differently from there. I already know what I would do with that.**

**3. Cate will open up to Baze about her pregnancy and giving Lux up and they'll decide to look for their daughter together.**

**Let me know what you think or if anyone has other ideas! Thanks!**

* * *

Baze watched angrily as Math got ready for his date with Cate. Math was going all out. He was wearing a suit that looked more expensive than Math could possibly afford on a teacher's salary. He even had roses.

Baze had spent the better part of the last few days being angry. Mostly he was furious with Math. How could one of his best friends go on a date with his girlfriend?

Baze didn't care how much Math had liked Cate in high school. It was sixteen years ago. Math needed to get over it and go on a date with someone who wasn't already in a relationship.

He was also mad that Cate was going through with it. Cate was barely speaking to him, which made it even worse. She never answered her phone when he called and she didn't call him back. He'd even tried the station. He thought for sure Alice would put him through, but she'd apologized and said Cate would kill her if she did. Baze didn't know what to do.

Baze watched helplessly as Math took off. Baze considered following, but decided against it. He didn't want to do anything to make Cate even angrier.

Cate was still getting ready when the doorbell rang. "Great," she muttered sarcastically as she hurried to finish her eye make-up. "This is already a disaster."

She'd been dreading going out with Math. She didn't even like him. And this stupid date had ruined everything with Baze. Things had been going so well, too. Better than Cate had ever imagined.

Cate forced herself to smile as she opened the door. "Hi Math."

Math smiled nervously. He went in for an awkward hug and then held up the roses. "These are for you."

"Thank you," Cate said politely. She filled a vase with water and put the flowers in before they left.

Math opened the passenger door for Cate before getting into the driver's seat. Math tried to make conversation as they drove, but they didn't have much in common. Eventually he gave up. He turned the volume on the stereo up and glanced at Cate. "I made this mix for tonight. I remember you sang this song in the talent show freshman year."

How did this kid remember what she'd sung over a decade ago? Cate didn't even remember what she sang! Granted, Cate had intentionally blocked out most of her high school memories. She didn't have a lot of good memories.

She forced herself to smile. She didn't really know what to say in response to that. She supposed it was kind of sweet that Math remembered. In a weird, creepy way.

Cate remembered Baze's words the night everything went horribly wrong. _He's practically stalking you_. Surely Baze had been exaggerating because he was angry.

But what if he hadn't been? Why had Baze been so against her going out with Math? Cate had been trying to figure that out for the last few days.

It couldn't simply be jealousy, could it? She'd told him in no uncertain terms that the date was a stupid promotion and it didn't mean anything. Baze knew she didn't have feelings for Math! She hadn't even remembered him.

Cate was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice they'd arrived at the restaurant until she noticed the sudden silence when the stereo shut off.

Cate looked up in surprise. She couldn't help but feel bad when she realized Math was taking her to one of the nicer steakhouses in Portland. It would be expensive and teachers didn't make that much. She felt even worse knowing this would be her first and last date with Math.

Cate flinched slightly when Math put his arm around her to guide her into the restaurant.

"We have a reservation," Math told the maitre de.

"What's the name?" The maitre de asked.

"Rogers," Math replied.

Cate smiled slightly as she remembered her first date with Baze. He hadn't had reservations, but he'd been able to talk his way into a table. That was so typical of Baze.

He didn't think anything through, but everything always worked out for him. Cate chalked it up to his charisma. Everyone liked him.

It had been one of the things that annoyed her most about the popular quarterback in high school. Now it was one of the things she found most attractive. When she was with Baze, she never knew what would happen, but they always ended up having a great time.

Math was the polar opposite of Baze. He'd planned every last detail of their date, but it still felt awkward. He wasn't nearly as much fun as Baze. No one was, Cate realized.

No one ever would be. She loved being with Baze. Sure, he was fun and they had a lot in common, but she wouldn't have as much fun with anyone else because she didn't like anyone the way she liked Baze. She never had.

"What are you gonna get?" Math asked conversationally once they'd both had a chance to look at the menu.

"Salad," Cate replied. She hated salad. She wasn't a healthy eater. She usually ate whatever sounded good. She'd mainly chosen salad because it was the least expensive thing on the menu and she felt bad.

"I remember you used to eat the same sandwich for lunch every day. Ham and cheese," Math commented.

Cate frowned. OK, remembering what song she sang in front of the entire school was one thing, but remembering what she ate for lunch at a table with her friends was another thing entirely. How did Math even know what she ate? This was getting weird!

"You always drank a Sprite," Math continued.

"OK, Math, let's not talk about high school. I hated high school," Cate said, her tone slightly harsher than she intended.

"Not a lot of good memories?" Math said knowingly.

"Let's see I got knocked up in the back of a minivan at sixteen. That would be a no," Cate said sarcastically. Not to mention the fact that she'd been forced to wear hideous head gear. As a result, she'd been one of the biggest dorks in school. There were plenty of bad memories to choose from, but Baze was the one who had hurt her the most back then.

"This isn't high school. And I'm not Baze," Math said.

Cate stared at Math. "Baze has changed. He's not the same guy he was back then."

Cate realized she meant what she'd said. She'd lashed out angrily and told Baze he hadn't changed the other night, but she knew it wasn't true. With the exception of the night of Drink A Date, things had been pretty good. Baze had been pretty good to her.

Math looked taken aback. "Maybe he has, but you still deserve better."

"Baze isn't perfect. And neither am I. But we're better together, you know?" Cate said defensively.

Math's face fell. "You really love him, don't you?"

Cate sucked in her breath. How could she love Baze? He'd only been back in her life for a month! That was all it took. Cate knew in her heart she had fallen for Baze. She would never admit it to Baze. She would never forget the way he'd rejected her in high school. She sure as hell wasn't going to give him another opportunity to do that to her. She nodded slowly.

"Then why aren't you taking his calls?" Math asked.

"There's a thin line between love and hate. What he said to me the other night, it hurt. I'm angry. But it doesn't change anything," Cate tried to explain.

Math nodded dully. "If it makes you feel any better, Baze has been an absolute bear. He's in a bad mood all the time." Matt met Cate's gaze. "He misses you."

Cate smiled slightly. It did make her feel better to know she wasn't the only one who'd been absolutely miserable. At least Baze was suffering just as much as she was.

Baze was waiting up on the couch when Math got back from his date. "How was your date?" He practically spat out.

Math studied his friend. Instead of answering, he asked, "Do you love her?"

Baze raked a hand through his hair. "We haven't been together that long."

"I didn't ask how long you've been together. I asked if you love her," Math retorted.

"I don't know. I have feelings for her. I've never felt like this before. I want to be with her. When I'm not with her, it hurts," Baze said. He smiled slightly.

Math met Baze's gaze. "She loves you. She wants you."

Baze lit up. He reached for his cell phone to call Cate then dropped it. He wrung his hands in his lap nervously. He didn't want to call her. He wanted to see her. He grabbed his keys.

Math stopped him. "Don't hurt her."

Baze made a face. "I'm not gonna hurt her."

Cate had barely changed into pajamas when she heard the doorbell. She sighed. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed. It felt like this night would never end.

Cate hesitated when she saw Baze on her doorstep. She opened the door uncertainly. "What do you want?" She asked tiredly.

"You," Baze said simply.

Cate felt slightly annoyed as he pushed past her uninvited. She followed him into her living room.

Baze's ocean blue eyes bored into Cate's chocolate eyes. "I want you, Cate. I'm sorry for what I said the other night. I didn't mean it. I was just jealous that you were going out with another dude. I want to be with you."

Before Baze knew it, Cate's lips were on his. She tore at his clothes. They both wanted each other. Needed each other.


End file.
